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diff --git a/layouts/community/split_3x6_3/bcat/readme.md b/layouts/community/split_3x6_3/bcat/readme.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..ed17b84186 --- /dev/null +++ b/layouts/community/split_3x6_3/bcat/readme.md @@ -0,0 +1,126 @@ +# bcat's split 3x6 + 3 thumb keys layout + +This is my favorite split ergo layout for typing, featuring the traditional +four ortho/ergo layers (Default, Lower, Raise, Adjust). It is loosely inspired +by the default Planck (numbers on Lower, symbols on Raise) and Crkbd (Space on +left, Enter on right) layouts, but has since been redesigned heavily according +to the principles described below. + +* Since my most-frequently-used keyboard shortcuts involve Ctrl, which lives on +the left half of the keyboard, keys frequently used with it (numbers, function +keys, etc.) are on the Raise layer activated by the right thumb. + +* Navigation can be done on the right half alone, to enable simultaneous +left-handed mousing. Additionally, Web pages can be scrolled with Space or +Shift+Space on the left half alone, to enable taking notes with the right hand +at the same time. + +* Other than Right Shift (which I seldom use), mods aren't rebound on layers. + +* Likewise, Backspace is not rebound on layers to avoid having to let go of +layer-switch keys to correct mistakes. + +## Default layer + + + +([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/08d9827d916662a9414f48805aa895a5)) + +* The alpha keys are a standard QWERTY layout, no funny business there. + +* Tab and Backspace are in familiar locations from my row-staggered boards +(almost all of which use HHKB-style split backspace). + +* The Esc key is next to the home row for convenience in Vim. + +* There are two Shift keys, although I generally use Left Shift. (I've +considered replacing Right Shift with another key, but haven't chosen one.) + +* Lower and Raise layer-switch keys are in the resting position of my left and +right thumbs, respectively. + +* Space and Enter are on the big thumb keys so they're easy to press. + +* Ctrl is on the left for ease of chording, especially one-handed use of common +shortcuts like Ctrl+T and Ctrl+W. This puts Alt on the right by the process of +elimination. (I would really like one more 1U thumb key on each half to allow +for a redundant Alt key on the left and a dedicated Super key on the right.) + +## Lower layer + + + +([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/c3fba5eaa2cd70fdfbdbc0f9e34d3bc0)) + +* This could also be called the "symbol layer". + +* Shifted numbers are bound in their usual positions on the top row. + +* Hyphen/Underscore and Equals/Plus are in the right index- and middle-finger +columns for easy reach. They share the same relative position as on a +row-staggered keyboard, and the shifted versions are physically above the +unshifted versions as a mnemonic device. + +* Brackets and braces are placed below the parens for easy recall. Once again, +the shifted versions are on the home row and the unshifted versions are on the +bottom row. + +* Forward Slash/Pipe and Backtick/Tilde fill out the remaining positions on the +right half, with the same relative positions as on a row-staggered HHKB layout. +And yup, the shifted versions are above the unshifted versions. + +* Remaining keys from a TKL are placed out of the way on the bottom row of the +left half. + +* The home row on the left half contains handy shortcuts for zooming and browser +navigation. + +* Lower+Esc is bound to Ctrl+Space because the Ctrl and Space keys are both on +the left thumb, so this key combination (which I use for tmux prefix and editor +autocomplete) is hard to press in its natural location. + +* Lower+Tab is bound to a custom Alt+Tab macro that keeps the Alt modifier held +as long as the Lower key is held down. This means that window switching is on +Lower+Tab immediately next to browser tab switching (Ctrl+Tab). + +## Raise layer + + + +([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/08b44355d4ca85d294bad9e2821f91d7)) + +* This could also be called the "number layer". + +* Unshifted numbers are bound in their usual positions on the top row. + +* Arrow keys are on VIM-style HJKL keys. + +* Home/End and Page Up/Page Down are in the same column as the arrow keys, but +translated down one row. (This means that the comma and period keys are not +bound on the number layer, which makes data entry a bit funky. I might add a +dedicated numpad layer to compensate.) + +* Function keys F1–F10 take up most of remaining space on the left half, with +F11 and F12 spilling over to the right half. (This puts the most used function +keys (F1–F5) on the home row.) + +* Insert and Delete are on the rightmost column, because there didn't seem to +be a better place to put them. + +* Caps Lock is bound in the same position as on an HHKB, for lack of an obvious +better location. + +## Adjust layer + + + +([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/77e7572e077b36a23eb2086017e16fee)) + +* Media keys are centered around the ESDF cluster, just like I arrange them on +row-staggered keyboards. (It's even more sensible with columnar stagger.) + +* The navigation keys are replaced by RGB controls. Again, this mirrors the +positioning I use on my row-staggered keyboards. + +* Finally, reset keys live at the top-left corner of the right half where it's +reasonably hard to press them by accident. |